Panel or switch box



Julie 15, 1943. R, SMITH PANEL on SWITCH BOX Fild March 20. 1942 4 2 B Q q, mm m w ,K W5 5 R 4 H E m b A m L m 6 w F K 3 m a M 2 m V g (V F n c a m 5 4 K a 5 m .j m n a am :1. \l H c 5 a 0. w E w L a NWW F. L 6 w 2 ,4 1- romvtr Patented June 15, 1943 PANEL OR SWITCH BOX George R. Smith, Richmond Heights, Mo., assignor to Wm. Wurdack Electric Manufacturing Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application March 20, 1942, Serial No. 435,532

4 Claims.

This invention relates generally to panel or switch boxes and, more particularly, to a certain new and useful improvement in panel or switch boxes of the type shown and described in Letters Patent No. 1,967,523, of July 24, 1934.

Such panel or switch boxes are frequently subjected in service to great strains on an explosion or fuse disruption, resulting often in effecting door-removal and consequent fires or other property damage.

My present invention has for its prime object to remedy such situations, and to such end and with other objects in view, my invention resides in the provision in such a panel or switch box of means for retaining the closed door firmly upon the casing in the event of an explosion and in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

. In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a panel or switch box embodying my present invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional plan view of the box, showing particularly the under face of the box-cover or door;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the box taken approximately on the line 3-3, Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view of the box taken approximately on the line 4-4, Figure 3;

Referring now more in detail and by reference characters to the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of my invention, the box or shell proper, generally designated A, is in form and structure substantially identical with the panel or switch box shown and described in said Letters Patent No. 1,967,523, issued on July 24, 1934, to William Wurdack, now deceased, for panel or switch box. Reference to such Letters Patent is made for a full, detail description of the box or shell A. For present purposes, sufiice merely to say that the box or shell A is in the form of a preferably metallic rectangular casing or cabinet comprising a rear wall I and forwardly projecting end walls 2, 2, the shell or casing A being preferably open upon its opposite sides to facilitate electrical connections with a housed series of conducting jaws B upstanding from an insulation base a fixed flatwise to and upon the rear or bottom wall I of the shell A. As shown, the end walls 2, 2, are preferably connected along one side of the shell A by a longitudinally extending angle-strip 3, for purposes presently appearing.

Forming part of the enclosing shell A, is a suitably flanged lid or door C, which is constructed of sheet metallic material, is of a size to snugly and completely fit over and upon the free margins of the walls 2, 2, and preferably at its one side flange has suitably welded or otherwise fixed thereto opposed pivot-members 5 adapted to endwise project through registering openings provided for the purpose in the shell walls 2, 2, and in the end cover flanges 6, as shown, for swingably securing the lid or cover C to and upon the shell A.

At suitable locations adjacent its opposite end margins and also adjacent its opposite or free side margin, the cover C is slotted, as at l, 'l', for accommodating, when in closed position over and upon the shell A, slotted or apertured keepers D welded or otherwise fixed to, and projecting forwardly from, the shell walls 2, 2, and the side strip 3. With the respective keepers D, the several levers or bars e of a locking mechanism E are adapted to engage. as in my co-pending application, Serial No. 435,531, more fully and in detail described. Reference for a full, detail description of such locking mechanism E is made to my said co-pending application, and suflice now merely to say that, forming part of the locking mechanism E, is a crank e pivoted on the door C for projecting the levers e through slotted brackets e fixed on the door C and into endwise engagement with the slotted keepers D for firmly locking the door C in closed position to and upon the shell A.

Supported, as by a suitable angle-strip 8, for slidable or shiftable movement relatively to, and upon the under face of, the lid or door C, is a suitable preferably oblong-rectangular plate F carrying a correspondingly shaped, but somewhat reduced, insulation block G.

Fixed to the plate F and working in slots 9 provided in the cover C, are screw-studs l0 engaging a strip ll correspondingly shiftable or slidable on the upper or outer face of the door C and suitably pivoted upon which is an actuating handle H.

engagement at their respective inner ends upon opposite sides of the depending stud [2.

Also fixed to, and depending from, the rods [5, as best seen in Figure 3, are opposed angles l6, engaged with the inner ends of which is a suitable coiled spring J, and carried by, and depending from, block G for electrical engagement with the circuit jaws B, are suitable blades K.

Hence, it will be seen that, as the handle H is shifted from neutral position either to the right or left to on position, permitted by means of slots 9 and I3, the block G will be correspondingly shifted to the right or to the left from neutral position to position the several blades K for selected circuit-closing or circuit-opening engagement, on closing of the door or cover C, with the respective jaws B.

It will also be evident that the spring J will automatically and yieldingly return the block G and its carried blades K to central or neutral position upon disengagement of the blades K from the jaws B or upon opening the door C and removal of manual engagement with the handle H. However, to relieve the blades K from strain in their engagement with the jaws B in retaining the block G in shifted on positions, the plate F is suitably elongated, as mentioned and as best seen in Figure 2, and is equipped at its opposite ends with slots, as at IT, adapted for registration respectively with one or the other of the slots 1 or 1' of the cover 0, depending upon the shifted position of the block G and handle H, so that, when the cover C is in closed position, the respective keeper D will project through such registering slot 1, H, or 1, IT, as

the case may be, and thereby function in not only relieving the blades K from strain in their circuit-closing engagement with the jaws B, but in also retaining the blades K in such shifted position, should one or the other of such blades K become in any way deformed as the result of an exposition or disruption within the shell A.

The structure has been found exceedingly efficient in the performance of its intended functions, and it is to be understood that changes in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the switch may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

1. In a switch, a casing comprising a shell and a lid, a slotted blade-carrying member shiftable on the lid, and a member fixed on the shell and engageable with said member at its slot for retaining said member in its respective shifted positions.

2. In a switch, a casing comprising a shell and a slotted lid hinged on the shell, a slotted blade-carrying member shiftable on the lid, the slots of said member and the lid being in registration when the lid is in closed position, and a member fixed on the shell and adapted for proshell.

jection through said slots when in registration for retaining said member in its respective shifted positions.

3. In a switch, :in combination, a shall, a slotted lid pivoted on the shell, a blade-carrying member shiftable on the lid and having a slot for registration with'the slot of the lid when the lid i in closed position, lid-locking means including a lever shiftable on the lid, and a slotted keeper fixed on the shell and engageable with slots in said member and lid when in registration for receiving said lever for retaining the lid in closed position upon the shell and said member in shifted position within the shell.

4. In a switch, in combination, a shell, a lid hinged on the shell and provided with a pair of spaced slots, a blade-carrying member shiftable on the lid, said member having separate slots for respective registration with lid slots depending on the shifted position of the member, lidlocking means including levers shiftable on the lid, and slotted keepers fixed on the shell and engageable with respective registering slots in said member and lid for receiving said levers for retaining the lid in closed position upon the shell and said member in shifted position within the GEORGE B. SMITH. 

